Lone Wolf raised his eyebrows, curiosity flickering in his eyes.
It wasn't the mystery Gale had brought up that intrigued him, but rather, the excitement and thrill behind that stoic face.
What could it be that had him so stirred up?
Curious, Lone Wolf followed Gale to the northern suburbs of Dawn City's train station, boarding a train to West Continent Municipality.
After nearly 100 kilometers of jostling, they got off the train around noon.
They weren’t done. Seeing as they were still heading out, Lone Wolf couldn’t help but ask, "How much farther?"
All he received was the same response. “We’re almost there!”
The only consolation was that the excitement in Gale’s voice was intensifying. Perhaps, as Gale said, they were indeed close to their destination.
They ventured deep into the city district of West Continent Municipality.
Gale expertly raised his rifle to check the street conditions. When he was sure there was no danger, he led Lone Wolf through a ruined building to the entrance of a subway station.
Little grass peeking through concrete cracks swayed gently, and the shadows under the concrete walls were covered with moss and rust-red stains.
It was eerily quiet. Not a person or even a living creature, seemed to be around.
Looking at the dark passage, Lone Wolf gulped, but seeing that Gale had no intention of stopping, he followed.
With his heart pounding in his chest, they walked along the subway tunnel. Just as Lone Wolf was about to repeat the question he had asked half an hour ago, Gale finally stopped.
Standing before a rusty iron door, Gale knocked three times.
Soon, there was movement behind the door, and then it creaked open. Two soldiers wearing Type-5 Light Cavalry exoskeletons stood on either side.
When Lone Wolf saw the insignia on the soldiers' breastplates and helmets, a look of surprise crossed his face.
What is the administrator's personal guard doing here?
"Please show your VM," one of the soldiers said.
Gale immediately extended his arm.
The soldier who had opened the door stepped forward, checked his VM, then turned to Lone Wolf, who hadn't moved. "And him?"
"He's with me. Can I bring him in?"
After hearing the request from the resident, the two soldiers exchanged glances, and one of them replied, "Please wait, I'll ask the administrator."
Gale nodded. "Thank you!"
After a brief wait, the soldiers received the order to let them through and they stepped to the side.
Seeing the administrator had accommodated his request, Gale heaved a sigh of relief, waved to Lone Wolf, and led him through the corridor behind the door.
The security level there was exceptionally strict.
Not just the sentries at the door, but also cameras installed at the corners of the hallways had automatic rifles hanging around it.
Anyone attempting to force entry would be turned into a human sieve the moment they stepped into the corridor.
As he observed the stringent security around him, Lone Wolf also checked his VM map and found that this area wasn't recorded on it, igniting his excitement. "What, is this some hidden map? Why is it so secretive?"
Gale didn't respond. He simply pointed with his chin before leading Lone Wolf through the alloy doors that just opened.
As they passed through the door, the scene before them suddenly opened up.
A spacious hall of several hundred square meters, with personnel in work clothes bustling about, presented a scene of busy activity.
A sign that read ‘Reaction Chamber’ hung on the door directly across the hall.
Following Gale's lead, they went straight into the chamber, where a metallic cylinder about ten meters in diameter soon caught his eye.
Numerous pipes connected to the alloy casing, leaving only a small window the size of a palm, through which the intricate and sophisticated components inside the hollow cylinder could be seen.
Surprise, even shock, was written all over Lone Wolf's face.
He hadn't expected such a huge secret hidden inside the unassuming subway tunnel!
What surprised him even more was that the azure exoframe was also present! That meant that the administrator was present!
Not just that, there were quite a few people standing next to him.
Including the expedition team leader Yin Fang, several characters like Boss Xia and Xiaoyu who had disappeared in previous versions, and that genius lass who had visited the Steel Plant 81 and Gobin Technology... He remembered she was probably called Pai.
Lone Wolf whispered excitedly to Gale next to him, "Is some ceremony going on?"
"We are igniting the Controlled Fusion Power Station!" Gale's face flickered with excitement, and his voice trembled slightly.
After reaching a LV6 expedition team, players could inquire about the Scientific Expedition Team’s research plans and experimental schedules through the VM in the shelter and apply for observation privileges.
Hearing what he said, Lone Wolf stared at him in astonishment.
What surprised him wasn't controlled nuclear fusion itself, but that a professor from the Physics Department was making such a big deal out of it.
After all, in Wasteland Online, controlled nuclear fusion wasn't considered anything particularly rare.
In the game setting, it was even a research outcome from the eve of the Prosperous Era, with plenty of even technologies known.
"Controlled fusion reactor... Doesn't the shelter have one?" Lone Wolf asked with a puzzled expression.
"Is it necessary to come here to see it?"
Gale made a shushing gesture and stared intently at the reactor. "Stop talking, it's starting!"
Seeing his colleague so engrossed, Lone Wolf, though filled with confusion, closed his mouth, deciding to see it through.
Not far away, the administrator standing by the railing glanced at the time, then looked toward the researchers nearby, signaling to start.
The factories in Dawn City gradually halted production, and the power plant's turbine generators boosted their output to the imit, channeling all electric power to the power station.
As the capacitors filled, the researcher at the control terminal manipulated the controls, and soon, the cylindrical device emitted a buzzing sound.
When the last button was pressed, the magnetic field inside the entire space stirred like boiling water.
Gale pulled a compass from his pocket, watching the frenzied needle spinning rapidly in all directions, his eyes sparkling with frenzy as he muttered to himself.
"Magnetic confinement! It's magnetic confinement!"
Lone Wolf watched him, unsure of how to respond.
Nearby, standing by Chu Guang, Yin Fang massaged his temples, a bit troubled. "Magnetic leakage... It’s been too long."
Chu Guang frowned. "Does it affect anything?"
Before Yin Fang could reply, Pai blurted out in excitement, "Don't worry, it’s a minor issue! Once the magnetic confinement device stabilizes, the magnetic field overflow will naturally disappear."
Yin Fang nodded. "Yeah, that should be it."
The magnetic field inside the reactor would adjust according to the plasma's form, and once the plasma stabilized, the magnetic field would naturally stabilize too.
Clearly, the reactor wasn't using a Faraday cage for magnetic shielding, nor did it have any superfluous design for that purpose.
That was why the reactor's outermost wall had a small window for visual observation of the plasma's operational status.
Seeing both researchers assured there was no problem, Chu Guang patiently continued watching.
A deep blue glow appeared behind the palm-sized window, quickly turning into pure white light as energy continued to gather.
That was the plasma enclosed by the magnetic field.
Even through the thick reactor casing, Chu Guang could still sense the scorching heat and the terrifying energy contained within!
Not far away, technicians at the workstations diligently completed their tasks, progressively reporting the current situation.
"Plasma temperature reached critical level!"
"Probes detect reactions occurring!"
"Core condition is good, the confinement apparatus is working normally!"
"Energy surplus meets self-sustaining conditions!"
"Disconnect external power!"
"Voltage difference adjusted!"
"Phase difference zeroed!"
"Frequency synchronization completed!"
"Connect to the grid!"